The August 2006 Philadelphia Magazine featured John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum as the magazine's pick for best "unlikely oasis."  Credit: Bill Buchanan/USFWS.

Most major cities have their own magazine to highlight the good, bad and ugly of their region. Philadelphia Magazine serves just that purpose for the City of Brotherly Love. Among one of the magazine's more iconic offerings each year is its Best of Philly awards. The coveted title often graces the doors of local restuarants, hair stylists, car dealerships, local health care providers and a plethora of entertainment and arts venues. When a new award category recognized the "Unlikely Oasis" and that honor came to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, the refuge's staff were, to put it mildly, shocked, ecstatic, and honored! 

Philadelphia Magazine Editor Larry Platt noted in his Editor's Column for the 2006 Best of Philly issue, "We don't want to tell you what you already know about your world — we want to change it by introducing you to places and things and people.  If, like me, you grew up around here, that issue sat on your coffee table year-round, your road map for how to navigate the region." Platt pointed out that the magazine's staff "fanned out and unearthed things in our region worth celebrating."

Of course, refuge employees know that the National Wildlife Refuge System is all about celebrating the wildlife and habitat it has been our privilege to protect, enhance and introduce to our visitors. But being singled out by the editorial staff of a sophisticated publication like Philadelphia Magazine &ellips; well, let's just say we couldn't be more proud. And we really believe they realize taking care of a truly urban wildlife refuge is a constant but worthwhile struggle when seen in the faces of all those who bond with this "urban oasis." The magazine's "spotlight of recognition" states, "When you think of the great outdoors, the words 'near the airport' probably don't spring to mind. Yet this refuge, just a stone's throw from Philly International, is home to a menagerie of wildlife, from migratory birds to muskrats to Southern leopard frogs." It goes on to tell about the refuge's trails, boardwalks and outdoor recreation offerings, ending with "&ellips; the Heinz [refuge is] the most interesting bit of real estate served by SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Association)."

From our point of view, the folks at Philadelphia Magazine hit the nail right on the head!